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Charles A. Messa, III, MD, FACS

How Many Pounds Will I Lose After Liposuction?

Posted October 14, 2024 in Liposuction

Female with measuring tape over her stomach

Liposuction can be an exciting option for people struggling with stubborn fat deposits, especially if they’ve tried various diet and exercise methods and haven’t gotten the desired body contouring results. With liposuction, many people are curious about how many pounds they will lose after the procedure. While liposuction does remove stubborn fat, it is not meant to be a weight loss procedure and should be viewed as a body contouring surgery. This blog will discuss how liposuction patients may lose anywhere from 2 to 11 pounds, but this number will vary from patient to patient.

4 Min Read:

Is Liposuction a Weight Loss Procedure?

According to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, liposuction was the most in-demand procedure in 2023. While liposuction is extremely popular, it’s important for people to know it is not a weight loss procedure. The goal of liposuction is to contour and improve the appearance of the target area. You may still lose some weight as a result of liposuction, but it is not the ultimate goal. That is why most plastic surgeons recommend that ideal candidates be at or near their goal weight.

Individual results vary significantly from one person to the next. Most people will lose subcutaneous fat in the treatment area. However, your surgeon’s objective is to create a natural, toned look, not just to remove pounds. As a result, some areas may be less prone to significant extraction.

Also, the higher your body mass is, the more fat your doctor may be able to safely remove from the donor site. This is always done on a case-by-case basis, with doctors considering no more than a few pounds of fatty tissue from any given area.

Can You Maintain Weight Loss Last After Liposuction?

To maintain weight loss and toned results, most surgeons recommend maintaining a healthy diet, meeting calorie restriction requirements, and exercising routinely. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle is the best route you can take to keep the weight off. Over time, you could see additional weight loss in the treated area.

Keep in mind that the weight you lose during liposuction is permanent. In most situations, you will not see the regain of weight in that area with routine maintenance, like diet and exercise. The body creates a set number of fat cells, and that number is often set during adolescence. If you are over the age of 25, then you are not likely to see the replacement of fat cells. The fat cells remaining after liposuction, however, can expand.

Can You Lose More Weight After Having Liposuction?

You may have already worked hard to lose weight and hope lipo gets rid of the last remaining amounts of stubborn fatty tissue in the target area. If liposuction does not remove all you hoped, you can still lose additional weight in this area through dedicated exercise and a healthy diet regimen.

However, many people do not see any significant weight loss after liposuction for six to eight weeks. That’s because your body is working on healing and restoring cell health during this recovery period, not cutting weight. You should not engage in intense workouts or very taxing diets during this period since it can limit your body’s ability to heal properly.

Tips for Smooth Liposuction Recovery

As you work to lose weight after liposuction, keep the following tips in mind:

  • Always get your doctor’s approval to start exercising after lipo. Your body needs time to heal. Exercising too soon or too vigorously can lead to a hernia or damage to the muscle tissues.
  • One of the best ways to further burn weight in the target area is to focus on full-body aerobic exercises after you are fully healed from your procedure. Swimming, biking, or dancing can help.

Liposuction Results Can Improve Over Time

Many patients are eager to see visible results from their liposuction procedure right away. However, final results take several weeks, and sometimes months, to become a reality. During the recovery period, give your body some time to heal and acclimate to changes from the procedure. While some improvement in fatty tissue may be immediately evident, it’s normal to experience swelling, bruising, and puffiness. These side effects fade over time, and you are likely to see improvement over the next several weeks as long as you follow your surgeon’s recovery instructions.

Learn More About Liposuction in Weston, FL

Learn more about the benefits of liposuction in Westin, Florida, by scheduling a consultation with Dr. Charles A. Messa. Call us today at (954) 659-7760 or (877) 250-8117 or complete our online contact form.

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Weston Cosmetic Surgery Center
2823 Executive Park Dr, Weston, FL 33331